What to Do in Cambria, California

So maybe those SoCal superbloom shots from Lake Elsinore got you thinking of a trip down south?

Don’t do it. The flowers are heading north as we speak.

And we’ve found the perfect meeting spot: a Central Coast hideaway with flowers a-comin’, Pacific trails and everything else you want in a weekend getaway.

Skye Pratt / SLO Visitor’s Guide

WHAT TO DO (FLOWERS)
Cambria’s a solid weekend destination year-round, but the flowers show up in April and May, depending on the weather. If in doubt about the timing, call/email the tourist board — we did. Start planning with this; warmer temps inland mean flowers arrive earlier in the season — as early as now. If you or your S.O. is really, really, really into wildflowers, look to the end of April and hit the Cambria Wildflower Show.

Hearst Castle

WHAT TO DO (NON FLOWERS)
Plan the social event of the season at nearby Hearst Castle. (The spectacular Neptune Pool is available for private parties — check it out, size it up.) Bringing a bike? You’ve got options, like this 82-mile loop that spins to the other side of the 101 before heading back. (See more here.) And you’ll have your choice of hiking options from short and flattish to less so; see a full range here. Or just head to Moonstone Beach for a walk along the boardwalk — it’s perpetually on best-beaches-in-America lists.

Moonstone Beach

WHERE TO EAT
The Sea Chest is the kitschy/warm beach-view seafood place of your childhood, with every sort of oyster you could want. (Raw, Rockefeller, Casino, stew, etc.) Moonstone Beach is similarly ocean-sprayed … think pork chops and chowder. Linn’s, meanwhile, is your morning stop for pies of both sweet and savory varieties.

WHERE TO STAY
It’s easy to go cheap if you want to, like this $83-a-night cottage. Bigger budget? Stay across the street from the ocean at this sleeps-eight house, for $287 a night. Or stay in what was once the lighthouse keeper’s residence at the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse — it sleeps six and will cost $272 a night. And if you prefer a hotel (and someone else to make your bed), head to the FogCatcher, right on Moonstone Beach.